The Sixteenth International Conference on Books, Publishing & Libraries

Abstract

One of the main features of Plato’s Academy is the established position and function of Anagnostēs. In the introduction of the Phaedrus (227a-230e), Plato’s Socrates appears as a very keen reader who seeks the reading of Phaedrus who is a listener-reader of Lysias speech in writing. Phaedrus is an interesting individual who was present in the Lysias lecture - and heard it in public and read it in private. But when Plato’s Socrates asks him to read the writing, two different conceptions of reading come into agony. Through their dialogue, we can infer Plato’s desired version of reading. Phaedrus considers “reading” as a general recitation and summarizing that will be delivered with a specific arrangement (228b). And in agony with it, Plato’s Socrates presents his argument about reading on both ethical and literal levels. In its ethical aspect, the reader should read the text of the writer without summarizing. Besides, the listener’s attention should be led to the style - content of the written text that the reader reads. Here, the skilled reader should have reached a level of recognition that when he reads, his reading can awake and guide the mind of his hearers. For Greek anagignosko has, in addition to the basic sense ‘recognize’, the derivative sense ‘read’ and as a result, reading should come out of recognizing the style and content of the writing in order to activate the informed listener for a critical discussion.